De Reuk

A man and woman in elaborate dress are depicted in a close embrace, with the man inhaling the fragrance of a rose. A basket of various flowers sits on the woman's lap while a long-haired dog, a traditional symbol of olfactory acuity, rests in the foreground. The composition is characterized by the muscular forms and intricate drapery typical of late 16th-century Dutch engraving.

As part of a series on the Five Senses, this work reflects the Renaissance preoccupation with how the human soul perceives the material world through the body. The accompanying inscription provides a moralizing warning, suggesting that sensory pleasures can mask hidden bitterness, a common theme in Northern natural philosophy.